Washington’s Gary Alstott reaches PBA50 match play

Gary Alstott of Washington made a late charge and survived the cut to match play on Wednesday after the second qualifying round of the PBA50 South Shore Open.

Alstott qualified for Thursday’s match play in 14th place, earning one bye for finishing in the 9-to-16 group. He had second-round scores of 225, 259, 234, 224, 180, 174, 226 and 237 for a 1,759. His 16-game pinfall total was 3,648 for a 228 overall average.

The two lowest games in his block came after Alstott made an ill-advised ball change.

“I made a ball change to the same one I went to yesterday,” he said. “I got it out if the bag and just didn’t get the reaction I was looking for. But I’m thinking I’m making bad shots, and really what it is I don’t have a very good reaction.

“So I rifle through two balls in my bag, trying to bring back that reaction. I missed a spare in each one of those games, and all of a sudden I shoot 180 and 170. Then I went back to the ball I had done the best with, and go 220, 230.”

The big names remained at the top, led by Walter Ray Williams Jr., who is trying for his 100th overall PBA title at Olympia Lanes in Hammond, Ind.

Williams totals 3,941 for a 53-pin lead over 20-time PBA champ Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela. First-round leader Eddie Graham is third at 3,867, followed by Pete Weber, who has 98 overall PBA wins, (3,844) and 35-time champion Parker Bohn III (3,808).

For Alstott to advance to face the top eight qualifiers in match play, he knows he will have to figure out how to break down the scorpion oil pattern with just two bowlers on each pair. Last week, Alstott went 1-4 in match play, losing his first four matches.

“Out here it’s all about surface,” he said. “You’re used to having three or four guys on your pair, breaking down the pattern. When I was on a pair by myself on this pattern, it doesn’t open up for me until about the last couple of minutes of practice.”

The further Alstott gets in the tournament, the more it helps his learning curve on the PBA50 Tour.

“But I’m having fun, and I’m glad I’m bowling good,” he said. “Hopefully I bowl good tomorrow. I just have to keep learning out here.”

Thursday’s cashers’ round, match play rounds and stepladder finals will be carried live on XtraFrame, the PBA’s online bowling channel.